What it is
Bixa orellana seeds yield a deep orange-red extract dominated by the apocarotenoids bixin and norbixin, which are the same compounds used as the food colorant annatto. In cosmetics the extract supplies carotenoid antioxidants and a warm natural tint. In sun-care formulas it is generally present at low levels for its conditioning and antioxidant character rather than as a UV filter.
Safety & warnings
Annatto and its bixin/norbixin pigments have a broad history of safe use as a food and cosmetic colorant. Sensitization is uncommon but has occasionally been reported with annatto food coloring, so very sensitive individuals may rarely react. It is not considered comedogenic.
Origin & sourcing
Natural, obtained from the seed coats of the tropical annatto shrub or tree, Bixa orellana.
History
Annatto has a long history as a dye and food colorant in Central and South America, where Indigenous peoples used the pigmented seeds for coloring and body decoration before its adoption as a widespread natural food and cosmetic colorant.
Questions everyone asks
What gives this extract its color?
The carotenoid pigments bixin and norbixin produce its characteristic orange-red hue.
Is annatto only used in cosmetics?
No, it is widely used as a natural food colorant as well, which is part of why it is well characterized.